Hey it's Friday and most of us are already enjoying a long 4th of July weekend. The ACB crew is already out, setting off illegal firecrackers, and we'll be back in action on Tuesday, the 5^th. But no worries because we've still got all kinds of fun ideas for you. From the nation's coolest beer events to movies, music and cutting edge TV - we've got your back big-time. 

So welcome to our 4^th of July Weekend Picks!

American Craft Beer was recently invited up to Alaska for an "in-depth" tour of their fast-growing craft beer and distilling scene. Being a craft beer daily, we don't normally write about spirits and whiskies here at ACB...But that was before we delved into Absinthe with Heather Shade at the Port Chilkoot Distillery in Haines, or drank Smoked Salmon Vodka with Toby Foster at the Alaska Distillery in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.

So many beers- So little time... Summer has definitely arrived and we've all the right beers for the season! We've also some interesting new offerings from Left Hand and Stone Brewing that you'll definitely want to get your sweaty little hands on. 

Hey even though we act like it, we admit, we don't know everything. And one thing that's cool to know more about is the kind of beer that you're drinking. Each beer style has a back-story - a reason why it came about - and from time to time, we'll be sharing with you some of what we know.

So welcome to the latest in our ongoing series..."What the Hell Is aKölsch?"

Yikes, the 4th of July is just days away... and clearly nothing is slowing down anytime soon. But no worries, Rumor Mill is always on the case, keeping you plugged in to all the craft beer news that matters. Plus we've an all-important update on what we've been drinking lately and you absolutely don't want to miss that.

If you've been in the craft beer game for a bit, you've probably attended a few at-home beer tastings with your friends in your lifetime. At-home beer tastings usually involve people getting together at a home of your choosing and engaging in a pissing contest to see who brought the rarest or best-tasting beer to the party.

ACB covers craft beer news, entertainment and lifestyle 24/7, and we'd like to think we do a decent job. But there's a lot of great craft beer journalism out there - and were constantly running into articles that we wished that we'd written. 

So welcome to another ACB Newswire - recent articles that we've enjoyed - and thought you might as well

So many beers- So little time... Summer has definitely arrived and we've all the right beers for the season! We've also some interesting new offerings from Firestone Walker and Ommegang that you'll definitely want to get your sweaty little hands on.

Beer history books that are both accessible and entertaining, can be hard to find. But here are three that are definitely worth your time...

We blame the industry for this... It used to be that when we wrapped up our Weekend Picks on Friday, we could coast through the weekend. But clearly all that's changed.

So here's some of what's happened in the world of craft beer while you were off enjoying yourself.